Hydraulic Fracturing System for Driving a Plunger Pump with a Turbine Engine

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a hydraulic fracturing system for driving a plunger pump with a turbine engine, including a fracturing equipment comprising a turbine engine fueled by natural gas or diesel as a power source, an exhaust system, and a plunger pump; a high-low pressure manifold; a blending equipment adapted to blend a fracturing base fluid; and a sand-mixing equipment adapted to provide the fracturing base fluid and a fracturing proppant to the high-low pressure manifold. A first end of the high-low pressure manifold is connected to the fracturing equipment through a connection pipeline. A second end of the high-low pressure manifold is connected to a wellhead. An exhaust end of the turbine engine is connected to the exhaust system whereas an output driving end of the turbine engine is connected to the plunger pump via a connection device. The connection device comprises at least a reduction gearbox. An input speed of the reduction gearbox matches an output driving speed of the turbine engine, and an input torque of the reduction gearbox matches an output driving torque of the turbine engine.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to theInternational PCT Application No. PCT/CN2019/107026, filed on Sep. 20,2019 and entitled “Hydraulic fracturing System for Driving a PlungerPump with a Turbine Engine”, which is herein incorporated by referencein its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the technical field of fracturing inoil and gas fields, and specifically to a hydraulic fracturing systemfor driving a plunger pump with a turbine engine.

BACKGROUND

Hydraulic fracturing has been applied in increasing the production inoil or gas wells for decades. For this process, a plunger pump is usedto pump fluid into the wellbore under high pressure, and then the fluidis squeezed into the formation, fracturing several hydraulic fractures.Water, other liquids as well as fracturing proppants are also injectedinto the fractures. After fracturing, the fracturing base fluid isreturned to the ground, with the fracturing proppants remaining in thefracture to prevent fracture closure, through which a large amount ofoil and gas enter the wellbore to be exploited.

In the working sites of fracturing in oil and gas fields all over theworld, the power driving modes for the plunger pump mainly include thefollowing two ways:

One driving mode is that a diesel engine is connected to a transmissionthrough a transmission shaft to drive the fracturing plunger pump towork. In other words, a diesel engine is used as the power source, atransmission and a transmission shaft are used as the transmissiondevices, and a plunger pump is used as the actuating element.

This configuration mode has the following disadvantages:

(1) Large volume and heavy weight: When a diesel engine drives atransmission to drive a plunger pump through a transmission shaft, alarge volume is occupied, a heavy weight is involved, the transportationis restricted, and the power density is low;

(2) Environmental problems: During operations on a well site, thefracturing equipment driven by the diesel engine would generate enginewaste gas pollution and noise pollution. The noise exceeding 105 dBAwill severely affect the normal life of nearby residents;

3) Cost inefficiency: The fracturing equipment driven by the dieselengine requires relatively high initial purchase costs and incurs highfuel consumption costs for unit power during operation, and the engineand the transmission also require very high routine maintenance costs.

The other driving mode is that an electric motor is connected to atransmission shaft or a coupling to drive the plunger pump to work. Inother words, an electric motor is used as the power source, atransmission shaft or a coupling is used as the transmission device, anda plunger pump is used as the actuating element, i.e., electric drivefracturing.

Although the electric drive fracturing has many advantages itself, it isdifficult to supply power for the fracturing well sites in that thepower capacity on the well sites is too small to drive the wholefracturing unit, or there are not any power networks at all on the wellsites. Therefore, generators have to be used to generate electricity.The most economical generation fuel is natural gas, but the users needto rent or purchase gas generator sets. For a fracturing well sitewithout power networks, the power of the gas generator sets needs up toat least 30 MW. Purchasing such high-power gas generator sets is a greatinvestment for customers. More importantly, in actual work progress, theaccidental shutdown of the gas generator sets would cause the breakdownof the whole electric drive fracturing unit, thus seriously affectingthe working quality, even causing work accidents.

Therefore, there is an urgent need for a hydraulic fracturing system tomeet the current demands.

SUMMARY

To overcome the deficiencies in the prior art, an objective of thepresent invention is to provide a hydraulic fracturing system fordriving a plunger pump with a turbine engine, in which a turbine engineis used to drive the plunger pump to solve the current problems ofdiesel drive and electric motor drive. The fuel supply of a turbineengine with a dual-fuel system (the turbine engine is fueled by dieselor natural gas) is diverse and not limited, especially when natural gasis used as the fuel, it will save more cost.

The objective of the present invention is achieved by the followingtechnical measures: A hydraulic fracturing system for driving a plungerpump with a turbine engine, including a fracturing equipment, a high-lowpressure manifold, a blending equipment and a sand-mixing equipment; theblending equipment is used for blending fracturing base fluid in thehydraulic fracturing system, the sand-mixing equipment provides thefracturing base fluid and a fracturing proppant to the high-low pressuremanifold; one end of the high-low pressure manifold is connected to thefracturing equipment through a connection pipeline, the other end of thehigh-low pressure manifold is connected to a wellhead; a turbine engineis used as the power source of the fracturing equipment, and the turbineengine is fueled by natural gas or diesel.

Further, the turbine engine is fueled by natural gas, the natural gas isdelivered to the turbine engine by a CNG tanker through CNG pressureregulating equipment, or delivered to the turbine engine by a LNG tankerthrough LNG gasification conveying equipment, or accessed through thewellhead gas port and delivered to the turbine engine through wellheadgas treatment equipment, or accessed through the pipeline gas port anddelivered to the turbine engine through pipeline gas treatmentequipment, the natural gas fuel is supplied in one or more of the aboveways.

Further, the hydraulic fracturing system for driving a plunger pump witha turbine engine includes instrumentation which is used for monitoringthe entire hydraulic fracturing system.

Further, the fracturing equipment is vehicle-mounted or semi-trailermounted or skid mounted.

Further, the plunger pump in the fracturing equipment is a threecylinder pump or a five cylinder pump, the power of which is 2250 hp orabove.

Further, the plunger pump is a five cylinder pump, the power of which is5000 hp or above,

Further, the fracturing equipment includes one or more sets of turbinefracturing equipment.

Further, the turbine fracturing equipment includes a turbine engine, anexhaust system and a plunger pump, one end of the turbine engine isconnected to the exhaust system, the other end of the turbine engine isconnected to the plunger pump, the plunger pump is a plunger pumpequipped with a reduction gearbox, the turbine engine is directlyconnected to an input end of the reduction gearbox on the plunger pump.

Further, the plunger pump, the turbine engine and the exhaust system aredisposed in a straight line along the transmission direction of power.

Further, the turbine fracturing equipment includes an exhaust system, aturbine engine, a reduction gearbox, a transmission mechanism and aplunger pump, the exhaust system is connected to an exhaust port of theturbine engine, an output end of the turbine engine is connected to thereduction gearbox, and the reduction gearbox is connected to the plungerpump through the transmission mechanism.

Further, the exhaust system, the turbine engine, the reduction gearbox,the transmission mechanism and the plunger pump are disposed in astraight line along the transmission direction of power.

Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the followingbeneficial effects: A turbine engine is used to drive the plunger pumpto solve the current problems of diesel drive and electric motor drive.The fuel supply of a turbine engine with a dual-fuel system (the turbineengine is fueled by diesel or natural gas) is diverse and not limited,which can be chosen by customers according to the actual situation.Especially when natural gas is used as the fuel, it will save more cost.The supply of natural gas in the whole hydraulic fracturing system isdiversified, better meeting the demands of more customers. The entirefracturing equipment is disposed in a straight line along thetransmission direction of power, better lowering the overall center ofgravity of the fracturing equipment, and increasing the stability andsafety of the fracturing equipment both in operation and transportation.

The present invention will be described in detail below with referenceto the accompanying drawings and specific implementations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the hydraulic fracturingsystem of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the turbine fracturingequipment of Embodiment 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the turbine fracturingequipment of Embodiment 2.

Wherein, 1. CNG tanker, 2. CNG pressure regulating equipment, 3. naturalgas pipeline, 4. turbine fracturing equipment, 5. connection pipeline,6. high-low pressure manifold, 7. wellhead, 8. wellhead gas port, 9.wellhead gas treatment equipment, 10. sanding vehicle, 11. sand storagetank, 12. sand conveying equipment, 13. liquid storage tank, 14.sand-mixing equipment, 15. blending equipment, 16. chemical additiveequipment, 17. instrumentation, 18. plunger pump, 19. turbine engine,20. exhaust duct, 21. exhaust silencer, 22. transmission mechanism, 23.reduction gearbox, 24. reduction gearbox equipped on the plunger pump.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a hydraulic fracturing system for driving aplunger pump with a turbine engine, including a connection pipeline 5,fracturing equipment, a high-low pressure manifold 6, a blendingequipment 15 and a sand-mixing equipment 14; the blending equipment 15is used for blending fracturing base fluid in the hydraulic fracturingsystem, the sand-mixing equipment 14 provides the fracturing base fluidand a fracturing proppant to the high-low pressure manifold 6; one endof the high-low pressure manifold 6 is connected to the fracturingequipment through the connection pipeline 5, the other end of thehigh-low pressure manifold 6 is connected to the wellhead 7; a turbineengine 19 is used as the power source of the fracturing equipment, theplunger pump 18 is driven by the turbine engine 19 with a highpower-to-volume ratio and a small occupied area compared to thetraditional fracturing equipment with a diesel engine as the powersource, greatly reducing the number and occupied area of fracturingunits in the entire fracturing equipment. The turbine engine 19 isfueled by natural gas or diesel. The turbine engine 19 with a dual-fuelsystem can be fueled by 100% fuel oil or 100% natural gas. The fuelsupply is diverse so that customers can choose according to the actualsituation. Especially when natural gas is used as the fuel, it will savemore cost. In the working site of the hydraulic fracturing system, thereare further provided with a sanding vehicle 10, a sand storage tank 11,sand conveying equipment 12, a liquid storage tank 13, and chemicaladditive equipment 16, wherein the liquid storage tank 13 provides waterfor the blending equipment 15, water and various additives are blendedin the blending equipment 15 to form fracturing base fluid, which isthen supplied to the sand-mixing equipment 14. A fracturing proppant istransported to the wellsite by the sanding vehicle 10 and conveyed intothe sand storage tank 11. There may be multiple sanding vehicles 10. Thefracturing proppant is conveyed to the sand-mixing equipment 14 from thesand storage tank 11 by sand conveying equipment 12. The fracturing basefluid and the fracturing proppant are mixed in the sand-mixing equipment14 and then conveyed into the high-low pressure manifold 6, throughwhich are distributed to each set of turbine fracturing equipment 4, andthen the mixed fracturing liquid is injected into the wellhead 7 by ahigh pressure pump (injection path: turbine fracturing equipment4—connection pipeline 5—high-low pressure manifold 6—wellhead 7), andthen the formation of the oil well or gas well is fractured. Thechemical additive equipment 16 is used to supply various chemicaladditives to the blending equipment 15 or the sand-mixing equipment 14.

In the operation site of the hydraulic fracturing system, a variety ofrelevant corollary equipment for natural gas supply can be arranged,such as CNG tanker 1, CNG pressure regulating equipment 2, wellhead gasport 8, wellhead gas treatment equipment 9 and the like. Of course, theCNG can be correspondingly replaced with LNG. For example, a combinationof a LNG tanker and LNG gasification conveying equipment. Similarly,wellhead gas can also be replaced with pipeline gas, for example, acombination of a pipeline gas port and pipeline gas treatment equipment,and the like.

Specifically, when the turbine engine 19 is fueled by natural gas, thenatural gas is regulated by the CNG pressure regulating equipment 2 onthe CNG tanker 1, and then delivered to the turbine engine 19 throughthe natural gas pipeline 3; or gasified by the LNG gasificationconveying equipment on the LNG tanker, and then delivered to the turbineengine 19 through the natural gas pipeline 3; or accessed through thewellhead gas port 8 and treated by the wellhead gas treatment equipment9, and then delivered to the turbine engine 19 through the natural gaspipeline 3; or accessed through the pipeline gas port and treated by thepipeline gas treatment equipment, and then delivered to the turbineengine 19 through the natural gas pipeline 3, the natural gas fuel issupplied in one or more of the above ways. The supply of natural gas inthe whole hydraulic fracturing system is diversified, better meeting thedemands of more customers. There may be multiple CNG tankers 1 or/andLNG tankers.

The hydraulic fracturing system for driving a plunger pump with aturbine engine includes instrumentation 17 which is used for monitoringthe entire hydraulic fracturing system.

The fracturing equipment is vehicle-mounted or semi-trailer mounted orskid mounted.

The plunger pump 18 in the fracturing equipment is a three cylinder pumpor a five cylinder pump, the power of which is 2250 hp or above.

The plunger pump 18 is a five cylinder pump, the power of which is 5000hp or above.

The fracturing equipment includes one or more sets of turbine fracturingequipment 4.

Turbine Fracturing Equipment Embodiment 1

The turbine fracturing equipment 4 is vehicle-mounted or semi-trailermounted or skid mounted. The diagram and description shown in thisembodiment is a schematic structural diagram of the up-loadingcomponents of the turbine fracturing equipment 4 after removing thevehicle or semi-trailer or skid.

The turbine fracturing equipment 4 includes a turbine engine 19, anexhaust system and a plunger pump 18, wherein one end of the turbineengine 19 is connected to the exhaust system, the other end of theturbine engine 19 is connected to the plunger pump 18. The plunger pump18 is a plunger pump 18 integrated with a reduction gearbox, the turbineengine 19 is directly connected to an input end of the reduction gearbox24 integrated on the plunger pump. An input speed of the reductiongearbox 24 integrated on the plunger pump matches an output speed of theturbine engine 19, and an input torque of the reduction gearbox 24integrated on the plunger pump matches an output torque of the turbineengine 19, thus simplifying the transmission device between the plungerpump 18 and the turbine engine 19, that is, a transmission shaft or acoupling is omitted, greatly shortening the total length of the turbinefracturing equipment 4, with a simple structure and convenient formaintenance. The exhaust system includes an exhaust duct 20 and anexhaust silencer 21, one end of the exhaust duct 20 is connected to theexhaust silencer 21, the other end of the exhaust duct 20 is connectedto an exhaust port of the turbine engine 19.

The plunger pump 18, the turbine engine 19 and the exhaust system aredisposed in a straight line along the transmission direction of power,to avoid excessive transmission loss, thus ensuring the efficienttransmission performance of the equipment, better lowering the overallcenter of gravity of the turbine fracturing equipment 4, and increasingthe stability and safety of the turbine fracturing equipment 4 both inoperation and transportation.

Turbine Fracturing Equipment Embodiment 2

The turbine fracturing equipment 4 is vehicle-mounted or semi-trailermounted or skid mounted. The diagram and description shown in thisembodiment is a schematic structural diagram of the up-loadingcomponents of the turbine fracturing equipment 4 after removing thevehicle or semi-trailer or skid.

The turbine fracturing equipment 4 includes an exhaust system, a turbineengine 19, a reduction gearbox 23, a transmission mechanism 22 and aplunger pump 18, wherein the exhaust system is connected to an exhaustport of the turbine engine 19, an output end of the turbine engine 19 isconnected to the reduction gearbox 23, and the reduction gearbox 23 andthe plunger pump 18 are connected through a transmission mechanism 22.The exhaust system includes an exhaust duct 20 and an exhaust silencer21, one end of the exhaust duct 20 is connected to the exhaust silencer21, the other end of the exhaust duct 20 is connected to the exhaustport of the turbine engine 19.

The exhaust system, the turbine engine 19, the reduction gearbox 23, thetransmission mechanism 22 and plunger pump 18 are disposed in a straightline along the transmission direction of power, to avoid excessivetransmission loss, thus ensuring the efficient transmission performanceof the equipment, better lowering the overall center of gravity of theturbine fracturing equipment 4, and increasing the stability and safetyof the turbine fracturing equipment 4 both in operation andtransportation. The transmission mechanism 22 is a transmission shaft ora coupling.

The turbine engine 19 itself has the advantages of small volume andlight weight, greatly decreasing the volume and weight of the turbinefracturing equipment 4.

It will be appreciated to persons skilled in the art that the presentinvention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments, which togetherwith the context described in the specification are only used toillustrate the principle of the present invention. Various changes andimprovements may be made to the present invention without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the present invention. All these changes andimprovements shall fall within the protection scope of the presentinvention. The protection scope of the present invention is defined bythe appended claims and equivalents thereof

We claim:
 1. A hydraulic fracturing system, comprising: a fracturingequipment comprising a turbine engine fueled by natural gas or diesel asa power source, an exhaust system, and a plunger pump; a high-lowpressure manifold; a blending equipment adapted to blend a fracturingbase fluid; and a sand-mixing equipment adapted to provide thefracturing base fluid and a fracturing proppant to the high-low pressuremanifold; wherein: a first end of the high-low pressure manifold isconnected to the fracturing equipment through a connection pipeline; asecond end of the high-low pressure manifold is connected to a wellhead;an exhaust end of the turbine engine is connected to the exhaust systemwhereas an output driving end of the turbine engine is connected to theplunger pump via a connection device; the connection device comprises atleast a reduction gearbox; and an input speed of the reduction gearboxmatches an output driving speed of the turbine engine, and an inputtorque of the reduction gearbox matches an output driving torque of theturbine engine.
 2. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, whereinthe reduction gearbox is integrated with the plunger pump.
 3. Thehydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, wherein the output driving endof the turbine engine directly connects to the reduction gearbox.
 4. Thehydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, wherein the turbine engine iscapable of both being 100% fueled by natural gas or 100% fueled bydiesel.
 5. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, wherein theturbine engine is adapted to be fueled by natural gas delivered to theturbine engine by any one of: a compressed natural gas (CNG) tankerthrough CNG pressure regulating equipment; a liquid natural gas (LNG)tanker through LNG gasification conveying equipment; a wellhead gastreatment equipment connected to a gas port of the wellhead; or a gaspipeline connected to pipeline gas treatment equipment.
 6. The hydraulicfracturing system of claim 1, further comprising an instrument formonitoring the hydraulic fracturing system.
 7. The hydraulic fracturingsystem of claim 1, wherein the fracturing equipment is vehicle-mounted,semi-trailer mounted, or skid mounted.
 8. The hydraulic fracturingsystem of claim 1, wherein the plunger pump comprises a three-cylinderpump or a five-cylinder pump having a power rating of at least 2250 hp.9. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 8, wherein the plunger pumpcomprises a five-cylinder pump having a power rating of at least 5000hp.
 10. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, wherein the plungerpump, the turbine engine, and the exhaust system are disposed in astraight line along a transmission direction of mechanical drivingpower.
 11. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 3, wherein theexhaust system, the turbine engine, the reduction gearbox, thetransmission mechanism, and the plunger pump are disposed in a straightline along a transmission direction of mechanical driving power.
 12. Ahydraulic fracturing system, comprising: a fracturing equipmentcomprising a turbine engine fueled by natural gas or diesel as a powersource, an exhaust system, and a plunger pump assembly; a high-lowpressure manifold; a blending equipment adapted to blend a fracturingbase fluid; and a sand-mixing equipment adapted to provide thefracturing base fluid and a fracturing proppant to the high-low pressuremanifold; wherein: a first end of the high-low pressure manifold isconnected to the fracturing equipment through a connection pipeline; asecond end of the high-low pressure manifold is connected to a wellhead;the plunger pump assembly comprises a plunger pump and a first reductiongearbox integrated with the plunger pump; and an exhaust end of theturbine engine is connected to the exhaust system whereas an outputdriving end of the turbine engine is connected to the plunger pumpassembly via a connection device comprising a second reduction gearboxfollowed by a transmission shaft.
 13. The hydraulic fracturing system ofclaim 12, wherein the turbine engine is capable of both being 100%fueled by natural gas or 100% fueled by diesel.
 14. The hydraulicfracturing system of claim 12, wherein the turbine engine is adapted tobe fueled by natural gas delivered to the turbine engine by any one of:a compressed CNG tanker through CNG pressure regulating equipment; anLNG) tanker through LNG gasification conveying equipment; a wellhead gastreatment equipment connected to a gas port of the wellhead; or a gaspipeline connected to pipeline gas treatment equipment.
 15. Thehydraulic fracturing system of claim 12, further comprising aninstrument for monitoring the hydraulic fracturing system.
 16. Thehydraulic fracturing system of claim 12, wherein the fracturingequipment is vehicle-mounted, semi-trailer mounted, or skid mounted. 17.The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 12, wherein the plunger pumpcomprises a three-cylinder pump or a five-cylinder pump having a powerrating of at least 2250 hp.
 18. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim17, wherein the plunger pump comprises a five-cylinder pump having apower rating of at least 5000 hp.
 19. The hydraulic fracturing system ofclaim 12, wherein the exhaust system, the turbine engine, the secondreduction gearbox, the transmission shaft, and the plunger pump assemblyare disposed in a straight line along a transmission direction ofmechanical driving power.
 20. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim12, an input speed of the second reduction gearbox matches an outputdriving speed of the turbine engine, and an input torque of the secondreduction gearbox matches an output driving torque of the turbineengine.